Thread by @carolecadwalla

UPDATE: So as @arron_banks, the biggest funder of the Brexit campaign, is found guilty today of data crimes & a full audit of his companies is ordered, let's update the list of crimes committed during the referendum &/or under investigation...
theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/n…

1/ So many crimes to choose from! But let's start with latest. Banks fined £135,000 today for breaking data protection laws. Note: potentially much bigger news to come. Really explosive stuff hidden here: that Banks used insurance data for @nigel_farage's LeaveEU campaign

2/ And then there's last week's news. That the National Crime Agency is investigating Banks on suspicion of committing "multiple criminal offences". Huge question mark over funding of LeaveEU campaign & whether it was "permissible" or from foreign sources
theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/n…

3/ The investigation into Banks' finances is by the NCA which investigates "serious" or "organised" crimes. But in May LeaveEU was also fined £70,000 & referred to Met police who are investigating criminal offences related to illegal overspending
theguardian.com/politics/2018/…

4/ So, that's the NCA, the Met Police & the ICO who are all investigating Banks...AND the FCA. So many acronyms, @arron_banks! This is a new investigation reported this weekend by the Financial Conduct Authority which regulates the insurance industry
thetimes.co.uk/article/city-w…

5/ But that's not the end of it. No. Not even into @arron_banks. There's a FIFTH investigation: into possible business deals brokered by Russian embassy. The DCMS committee has said it "understands" this is also being investigated by NCA

6/ To recap: that's FIVE official investigations into @arron_banks & @nigel_farage's LeaveEU campaign. But then there's Vote Leave...the official campaign headed by @BorisJohnson & @michaelgove who have ALSO been fined £61,000 & referred to the Met police
theguardian.com/politics/2018/…

7/ And then there's dear @darrengrimes_, the head of BeLeave, who's ALSO been fined £20,000 & referred to the Met police. Note, Vote Leave/BeLeave's crimes are believed to be biggest UK electoral fraud of modern times. And it only made no.7 on the list....
theguardian.com/politics/2018/…

8/ Important to be equal opportunities about this. I'm always being asked why I'm not investigating Remain. Well, I didn't know of any crimes. But here's one, new today: Lib Dems fined for selling the personal data of 100,000 members to the Remain campaign
dailym.ai/2D6QvKs

9/ Have I finished? No, I have not. And nor has the ICO. Its investigation into UKIP & Cambridge Analytica is ongoing. UKIP has refused to co-operate & appealed to high court. Which dismissed it. (This is the invoice that @observerUK established @arron_banks paid for)

10/ So that's 9 investigations into crimes committed in EURef or suspected crimes involving National Crime Agency (x2), Met police (x3), ICO (x3). Note this Sunday @observerUK & @openDemocracy published new stories about new allegations, new crimes

theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/n…

11/ How could I forget! Here's no 10. Update today on @arron_banks mining activities in Lesotho, as detailed in excellent reports by @bbc & @Channel4News' @ManveenRana & @jrug. Confirms investigation by South African Hawks & reported to British SFO
dailymaverick.co.za/article/2018-1…